“I know you better than you know yourself.” My teens would bristle every time I said this to them. Yet, with a few exceptions, it was usually true. I had observed them from the first minute of their life. I knew their temperament, their personality, their facial expressions, their tone of voice, their likes and dislikes…I knew them. Even during their teen years, when they were changing so rapidly and intensely, the basic thumb print of who they were continued to shine through.
But even though I knew so much about them…even though I knew both their strengths and weaknesses…even though I knew when they made mistakes, or lied, or rebelled…I still loved them. That’s what parents do. They open up their heart and give their children the opportunity to prove them wrong, even when the parent suspects that’s not going to happen.
You see this kind of parenting in Deuteronomy chapter 31. Even though God knows that His children are going to take what He’s given them and then rebel against Him, He still gives them the Promise Land and the opportunity to prove Him wrong. That’s not to say that God is some gullible, hope-for-the-best God. God is the perfect Parent, but He gives His children the opportunity to choose wisely and the opportunity to experience the consequences of choosing poorly. (Deuteronomy 31:16-17)
It amazes me that God know me better than I know myself, (all my flaws, failures, and weaknesses) and He still offers me His best and He still cheers me on. What an amazing love! What an amazing God!